Carbohydrates in dieting are controversial. We can't eliminate them, but low carb dieting aims to minimize them, so that you lose weight faster. However, a diet without carbohydrates, although you don't go hungry, is ultimately boring. Some experts also believe that when you keep your carbohydrates too low you may harm your health.

Low carb dieting in history

Most people assume that the low carbohydrate craze started with Dr. Atkins in the 1970s with his book Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution. Actually, a century before Atkins promoted his low carbohydrate diet, a gentleman named William Banting wrote a book called Letters on Corpulence. In his book, he talked about losing weight by consuming a diet high in fat. During World War II, DuPont also suggested that using high fats and low carbohydrates in dieting would result in quicker weight loss.

The public, however, didn’t really pick up on this advice until the 1970s and then again in the 1990s, when the Atkins Diet blazed onto the scene for the second time. It was quickly followed by other plans that advocated low carbohydrates in dieting such as The Zone and The South Beach Diet.

Carbohydrates In Dieting: The Theory

When people eat carbohydrates, the level of sugar (glucose) in their blood increases. This “free floating” glucose can damage the body unless it is allowed into the body’s cells where it acts as energy. The body then produces insulin, the key which “unlocks” the door to the body’s cells. Glucose that is not needed for energy is stored as fat.

Foods high in fat but low in carbohydrates do not raise the glucose level in the bloodstream. Therefore, the release of insulin is suppressed. As the body breaks down fat to use as energy, a substance called ketones is released into the blood stream. People who use low carbohydrates in dieting refer to this state as “benign dietary ketosis.” Although not considered life threatening, people experiencing benign dietary ketosis may report headaches, nausea, and other minor symptoms. Their urine will also change in appearance and odor.

Carbohydrates In Dieting: The Studies

So, do lower carbohydrates in dieting actually work? The Magic Eight Ball says, “Signs are mixed.” Studies have consistently found that low carbohydrate dieters lost weight more quickly than their low-fat counterparts. By the end of a year, however, this advantage had completely vanished. Furthermore, the majority of both groups of dieters had abandoned their diets and were well on their way to gaining back every pound they had lost, and then some. Over the long haul, then, the low carbohydrate diets are not any more effective, nor are they easier to maintain, than any other type of diet.

Obesity is a problem that troubles many people all over the world. It is only natural to want a quick fix. But the low carbohydrates in dieting is only a temporary solution at best. The best way to lose weight is to do exactly what nutritionists have said all along. Eat fewer calories than you take in and get regular exercise. It may not be as quick or as flashy, but in the end, this is the best way to reach your goal.

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